Among the Living
by i Mel-chan i
Summary: It really doesn't matter Masumoto always gets her way.


**Title**: Among the Living  
**Rating**: PG  
**Characters**: Masumoto, Hitsugaya  
**Warnings**: spoilers ch 190 and beyond  
**Disclaimer**: Don't own nothing!

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"Who will lead the expedition to the Living World?"

Either all the Gotei-13 captains were just being shy about the possibility of going into the human world, or clearly no well respected captain wanted to spend agonizing weeks, perhaps months in the living world with _humans. _

"Well?"

Yamamoto-soutaichou rested his hands on top of his wooden cane, quietly awaiting a response. The remaining captains of the Gotei-13 stood on either side of him, neither one of them daring to look at the old man's face.

A report had come in from the 12th Division of two insanely powerful Arrancars crashing into Karakura Town and killing innocent bystanders. The ryoka had been completely defeated, and if it weren't for Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi, things would have definitely gotten worse. The Arrancars had mysteriously left, but there was no knowing when they would return again.

Because of this new threat, an advance squad of sorts would be created to team up with Kurosaki Ichigo and help keep an eye out. Naturally, the younger Kuchiki had been selected and somehow Abarai's name had been brought up, but with no captain to supervise, the advance squad was at a standstill.

Which of course led to the current scenario.

The cost of living among humans was simply too much than the sheer benefits. Humans were dumb, selfish, rude and who in their right mind would want to spent an hour with them, much less weeks, possibly months with them? Even Zaraki-taichou, with his thirst for new opponents, clearly objected with rather... eh... kind words.

Yamamoto-soutaichou had suggested for Kuchiki-taichou to take the opportunity, considering that he was the only captain that had recently gone to the living world.

"I apologize, Yamamoto-soutaichou, but at the moment I have current matters to deal with one of the noble families."

Because as much as Byakuya was trying to become a better brother there was no way he would be returning any time soon to that filthy place.

"I see," the old man replied, thinking of the possible candidate. Soi Fong was busy with the Special Forces, Unohana was busy with the hospital, Komamura well couldn't go, Zaraki had kindly stated his opinion and Kurotsuchi had downright refused (something about humans lowering IQ).

"Is there anyone?" he asked though clearly he was looking at one individual- actually all the captains were looking at that _one _individual and he just seemed to be staring elsewhere.

"I'll go, old man," Kyoraku said good-naturally.

Clearly, the old man wanted to say otherwise, but well he really didn't have a choice.

The meeting ended a few minutes later with a promise of another one in two days, as the squad became better organized. Hitsugaya sighed as he descended the steps of the First Division, relieved for not being the one chosen- because really it sure seemed as though everyone's eye were on him!- but maybe luck was finally on his side.

"Ah, Hitsugaya-kun!" Ukitake called out from behind.

"What is it now?" he asked half-annoyed and not really wanting any candy at the moment. Ukitake chuckled at his expression. "Now, now Hitsugaya-kun, there's no need to get so upset for no reason."

"It's Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Yes, yes you're right," he answered in amusement, though he'd probably forget, yet again. The two descended down the stairs watching as the other captains moved ahead of them. Yachiru jumped on Zaraki's back noisily yelling whether Ken-chan was gonna go beat up those mean look red dots that had everyone panicking about. Zaraki snorted before yelling at her to be quiet and he was definitely not gonna wait around when he could just as easily go after them.

It was a nice breezy autumn's day and though it reminded him of much better times in his early childhood, Hitsugaya had nothing to look forward to but a tower of paperwork needing to be done and a fukutaichou that was probably sprawled on the couch with a hangover.

"Don't you agree?"

"Excuse me?" he asked, slightly embarrassed that he was too busy in his thoughts to have heard the older man.

"I said, you should have signed up for the advance squad- this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I would have signed up myself, but I have the Investigation to lead at the moment."

Hitsugaya snorted. "There's nothing that could coerce me into going into that self-centered, asinine world."

The older man chuckled. "If you put it that way, though I supposed Shunsui is a good choice, I'm sure he'll take care of Kuchiki and whoever ends up going along."

Ukitake smiled at him, simply looking down at him before declaring he had work to do and leaving him a handful of candy, much to Hitsugaya's annoyance.

* * *

When he returned back to his office, he oddly found it empty, considering that only this morning Masumoto was complaining of a headache, but then again someone probably had invited her to go drinking and she just couldn't seem to refuse.

And so he picked up his brush and began the dull task of tackling the mountain of paperwork that just seemed to be accumulating.

By the time evening approached he'd set the last of the documents aside, and sighed in relief at having finished 5th Division's paperwork and then looked grudgingly at the 10th Division's paperwork.

Lifting his cup, he frowned as he found it empty. "Oi, Masumoto, do something useful and get me some tea."

He waited for Masumoto's complaints, fussing over how she was under appreciated and she should really deserve a raise for putting up with his rudeness. But oddly enough there was no reply.

He sighed, she still hadn't return from who knows where, which meant that she was probably doing something moronic and it would only be a matter of time before someone rushed in begging him to see to his fukutaichou.

Setting things aside, he began the task of searching for her. "Good evening, Hitsugaya-taichou!" a shinigami saluted.

"Have you seen Masumoto?"

The shinigami thought for a moment. "Last time I saw fukutaichou... was with Kuchiki-san."

He wondered what she was doing. The two women rarely talked and on the off chance that they did it was usually about SWA. Eventually he found her, in a small sweet shop talking excitable with the younger Kuchiki. "Taichou! Taichou! Over here!"

"Yes, Masumoto, I see you," he sighed at her loudness. Kuchiki seemed different than the last time he saw her. She had more energy now, a sort of glow seemed to radiate over her, a great contrast to the gloominess that filled her up when the ryoka left.

"Where have you been Masumoto?"

"Taichou, you have to hear Rukia's stories about the human world! They're these weird juice-liquid thingy that comes out of little boxes!" she demonstrated by making a square with her fingers.

"Liquids that come out of boxes? What type of world is that?"

"It's true, Hitsugaya-taichou," Rukia answered eagerly. "And you use this straw thing to drink from it!"

Overall, he spent the rest of the evening listening to the strange stories of Kuchiki, Masumoto seemed to eat every word, and he just couldn't help but think what a backward world those humans live in.

Masumoto gasped in surprised. "Do you hear that taichou? I can't wait to go to the human world!"

"What?"

The idea that she hadn't asked permission from her taichou seemed to have bypassed her.

It wasn't until Abarai came walking by, saying he needed to take Kuchiki home, did the two finally took their leave, briefly listening to Kuchiki's yells that she didn't need a babysitter. The walk back was mostly silent, except for Masumoto recalling how she had awoken from her afternoon nap to find her taichou missing and had gone searching for him. Afterward, she had met Madarame talking to Ayasegawa from the 11th Division about a proposition of going to the human world.

Of course it sounded fun, so she had to go see Kuchiki right away.

"Masumoto, you don't want to go to the human world. There's pollution, horrible diseases, and weird humans toys that round around saying stupid things."

"I know it sounds like so much fun!"

He sighed; apparently, everyone had missed the point that it was a _surveillance_ squad instead of a vacation.

For the next 36 hours he had to bear Masumoto's endless recounts on going to the human world, and reassuring him over and over again that she was going to get him something nice and not to miss her so much while she was away.

"Masumoto, if you don't finish your work right now, you are not going to the human world!"

"You're so mean taichou!" she pouted but took a seat in her desk. A few minutes past in silence and for a moment it almost looked like she was going to get some work done!

"Eh taichou?"

Maybe not.

He sighed. "What is it Masumoto?"

"Who's going to lead the surveillance team?

"Kyoraku volunteered," he answered simply.

"What!" She looked as though he told her the sky was green. "He can't go Nanao-chan will never allow it!"

"Then I guess you won't be going to the human world. None of the other captains volunteered."

She looked as though sake had been made illegal. "There has to be someone… someone..." she pondered."Ah taichou...!"

"No, Masumoto, I'm not going to the human world." He answered flatly going back to his work.

"C'mon taichou!" she pouted. "You're going to miss me anyway, why not come along?"

"I am not going to miss a loafing fukutaichou that is allergic to paperwork and drinks alcohol like water."

"See taichou! I knew you would miss me."

Hitsugaya gave her a look. "No."

"Taaaaichou! Please!" she whined. "It's not like you have anything to do here."

"Masumoto, I have to run _two _divisions, I can't go even if I wanted to!"

"What's wrong with leading them in the human world? We have some reliable shinigami, after all, I'm sure they'll be able to look after the division while we're gone. Besides taichou we've been working hard enough, so we deserve a vacation!"

_'I need a vacation,'_ he thought.

"Oh I'm sure you'll look cute in that school boys' uniform!"

"If that's the case, then I'm definitely not going." She grumbled in annoyance before fussing- rather loudly- that she had the meanest, rudest and _brattiest _taichou ever!- before yelling out that she was going to somehow convince Nanao-chan to let Kyoraku-taichou go! She would get her way, as always.

She rushed out furious, slamming the door loudly, before poking her head back in and asking sheepishly whether she can have the afternoon off.

"Go ahead. You deserve, it remember?" he said dryly. She smiled brightly at him, declaring that he was the best and so leaving Hitsugaya alone in silence.

For four hours he worked in silence, carefully reading the documents before signing then or writing something and then placed it aside. The pile became smaller and smaller and within just another hour he could probably be done, after wards he would go see the training of his division and stop briefly to see the 5th.

"Hn… human world."

When Masumoto had her eye on something, she always got it. How she did it? He didn't know. Whether it was clothes, a vacation, or an extension to those log reports, Masumoto always got her way. But now he couldn't help but pondered how Masumoto would get the unyielding Ise to change her mind. Everyone knew that the Eighth Division's vice-captain couldn't be dissuaded but now with Matsumoto involved: whose will was stronger?

Let's say by some miracle Ise gave her captain permission to go to the human world. Kyoraku isn't the most responsible captain out there, he spends most of his day drinking and flirting with women, and no doubt the advance squad would be left without supervision.

Now that he thought about it, what would Masumoto do in the human world?

She'd probably spent her first night in jail- completely wasted- singing children nursery rhymes with the cell mate next door, and complaining that she didn't know the words to the song. Then she'd probably beat up the guard for telling her to shut up, and end up with criminal charges for battery. Then she'd get sentenced for three hundred centuries- or whatever capital punishment was like over there- and end up living in a cockroach infected cell with a pervert... no wait she could deal the pervert.

Wait a minute! What was he thinking about Masumoto for? If at all he should be thinking about her absence.

Now that Masumoto would be gone he'd probably spent most of his evening quietly, and he'd definitely get his work done, get some training done, and finish off his list of things-to-do-when-Masumoto-isn't here list.

Now he'd be able to get a full night's sleep without being called late at night that his fukutaichou was out terrorizing the streets, and would he please come?

Now that he wouldn't have to deal with her pranks and her illogical complaints.

Now he would be able to finish the paperwork without listening to Masumoto's wacky stories.

And he would definitely be freed from her monster chest!

Yes, he thought, suddenly smiling to himself, maybe now he could finally get that long awaited vacation.

* * *

"And so, I, Hitsugaya Toushirou Captain of the 10th Division request the disclosure from Kuchiki-taichou, Zaraki-taichou and Ukitake-taichou for Fukutaichou Abari Renji, Third Chair Madarame Ikkaku, Fifth Chair Ayasegawa Yumichika, and Kuchiki Rukia to form a surveillance team, as approved from the Gotei-13, to monitor and respond against any suspicious and dangerous spiritual activities in the Living World.

Furthermore, I ask these captains to authorize me the full command of their subordinates and in turn for their subordinates to obey my command upon reaching the Living World, after wards they will promptly return to their respective division."

Each of the mentioned captains nodded in agreement.

He took a breath before continuing to read from his manuscript.

"With each of your approvals, the above mention as well as myself and my fukutaichou, Masumoto Rangiku, will form the Hitsuygaya Advanced Force. We shall arrive in Karakura Town, Eastern Japan, at exactly 18: 00 hours and shall remain in the area for as long as it seems necessary and/or if the Gotei-13 agrees that the Advance Force should be dissolved... "

"Furthermore, I shall take utmost responsibility for the team and shall make sure that no harm shall befall to the team, to the best of my ability... "

Seriously how did Matsumoto always get what she wanted?

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End file.
